Basket bottom



Sept. 15, 1936. f E, FLORANG 2,054,744

BASKET BOTTOM Filed Nov. 26, 1955 Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention has relation to fiat basket bottoms formed of interwoven veneer splints or strips, these being subject to such wear and strain that they are liable to give way before other parts of the basket, various strengthening means being employed for such bottoms, usually brace bars located below and contacting with the lower surface of the bottom. Notwithstanding such strengthening means however, these flat bottoms are comparatively weak, particularly along the margins where the bottom strips contact with the upper peripheral edge of an inner hoop or other marginal support.

Round bottoms formed of radial veneer strips have the bottom strips sometimes arched throughout their lengths for strengthening purposes, but in the case of flat basket bottoms, it is apparently impossible to employ the arching expedient for strengthening the interwoven strips making up such bottoms and at the same time retain the flat bottom formation.

It is an object of the invention to employ the arching expedient for strengthening the interwoven veneer strips of a flat basket bottom. An-

other object is to provide such a basket bottom wherein the end portions of the strips are located and inherently held out of contact with the upper peripheral edge of a marginal hoop or other marginal supporting frame, thereby avoiding tendency of such strips to break under strain adjacent such edge. Another object is toprovide such a basket bottom adapted to dispense with the necessity of lower brace bars contacting with the lower surface thereof, thereby avoiding tendency 5 of such strips to break under strain adjacent such brace bars, due to pressure thereagainst or to deterioration caused by moisture accumulation between the said bottom strips and said brace bars. Another object is toprovide such a basket bottom 40 strengthened by arching without departure from a flat bottom, resilient, yielding, and tending to absorb strains, temper shocks, and increase the period of usage. Another object is to provide a flat basket bottom wherein the interwoven veneer splints thereof, being resiliently supported at the ends and having no lower brace bars contacting with the lower surface thereof, will be rendered more comfortable to the baby occupant 50 in the case of a basket crib or bassinette.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the 55 invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a basket embodying the invention, and partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a similar View with the basket tipped to show the bottom.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 5 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail fragmentary plan view of an edge portion of the bottom, partly broken away.

In the drawing, the numeral I designates in- 10 ner and outer bottom hoops, constituting a peripheral supporting frame and 2 are flat horizontal or approximately flat and horizontal interwoven parallel Veneer strips or splints constituting a webbing of the same thickness throughout, 15 said veneer strips having at the end portions thereof adjacent said peripheral frame entirely around the same ninety degree arched resilent twisted bends 3 oblique to said strips and the grain of the wood and the lower extremities of 20 which are connected to said hoops or frame, said webbing being held above the upper edge of said hoops or frame by said arched bends, the twist of which is adapted to render the same stiffer and more resilient, to therebybetter absorb strains 25 and temper shocks and to increase the period of usage.

The fiat horizontal veneer strips 2 interwoven with one another as stated to constitute said webbing have preferably oblique crossing relation 30 to one another, involving twisted bends 2', oblique to the strips and the grain of the wood, the twist of said bends being adapted to render the same stiffer and more resilient for a stronger bottom than in the case of a webbing of right angle weave wherein the bends of the strips are at right angles to the strips and the grain of the wood. In these veneer strips the grain of the wood usually runs parallel with the strips for obvious reasons.

I claim:

l. A flat bottom for baskets, comprising a peripheral frame, and a webbing of the same thickness throughout composed of flat horizontal parallel interwoven veneer strips having at the end portions thereof adjacent said frame entirely around said bottom ninety degree arched twisted resilient bends oblique to said strips and the grain of the wood and the lower extremities of which are connected to said frame, said webbing being held above the upper edge of said frame by said arched bends, the twist of which is adapted to render the same stiffer and more resilient to thereby better absorb strains and temper shocks.

2. A flat bottom for baskets, comprising a peripheral frame, and a webbing of the same thickness throughout composed of fiat horizontal parallel interwoven veneer strips having oblique crossing relation to one another involving twisted bends oblique to said strips and the grain of the wood, said veneer strips having at the end portions thereof adjacent said frame and entirely around the same ninety degree arched twisted resilient bends oblique to the strips and the grain of the wood and the lower extremities of which are connected to said frame, said webbing being held above the upper edge of said frame by said arched bends the twist of which is adapted to render the same stiffer and more resilient to thereby better absorb strains and temper shocks.

EIMIL A. FLORAN G. 

